Untitled
by DragonRose18
Summary: Jean Hart, Hufflepuff, 5th year, was on nobody's radar. She kept her head down and didn't get in anybody's way. This strategy worked most of the time and she was quite content with it except when it failed her spectacularly. She had been minding her own business when she had walked head first into Harry Potter. (Not a romance. Set during HBP)


_Hello Everyone, This is my first story in a long time, I hope you enjoy. It is probably not just a one-shot. Please review and constructive criticism is always welcome. Enjoy reading!_

Jean Hart, Hufflepuff, 5th year, was on nobody's radar. Extremely shy and painfully average, academically and otherwise, at least in her own opinion (though some people would disagree on both accounts), she worked extremely hard not to be noticed. She kept her head down, didn't get in anybody's way and only offered her opinion when pressed for it. She just preferred it that way.

This strategy worked most of the time and she was quite content with it except when it failed her spectacularly. Like right now, for instance. She had been minding her own business (though to be fair, she probably shouldn't have been paying more attention to her bag, than to where she was going), when she had walked head first into Harry Potter.

Yes, that's right, Harry Potter. The boy who was, if the newspapers are to be believed, was 'The Chosen One'. Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, quite handsome (not that he seemed to realize it, which of course just made him all the more attractive and the fact he seemed to have become much taller after the summer which definitely helped), the object of affection of half of Hogwart's female population, as well as a bit of the male population.

Including Jean's much to her own embarrassment. That Harry Potter. Not that she advertised her crush, unlike Romilda Vane and Louise Smith who kept planning ways to slip him a love potion despite the fact he had just started dating Ginny Weasley. Jean was quite satisfied liking him from afar. To be honest, she was too intimidated by him to ever date him. Not that he'd ever notice her. She was quite in awe of Ginny actually, who seemed to be unaware of Harry's fame or was rather good at ignoring it. She couldn't imagine it herself, having a famous boyfriend, whom people seemed to simultaneously love and hate, someone prophecized to save the wizarding world from the darkest wizard the world had ever seen. But Ginny seemed to be handling just fine.

Many people were quite unhappy about it, but Jean couldn't help but notice that Harry seemed a lot more happy than he had been in a long time. Not that she spent a lot of time staring at him, she just couldn't help but notice him whenever she was around him which wasn't much, but still. There were some rather horrid rumors floating about him cursing Draco Malfoy and not to mention, the death of Sirius Black whom the newspapers were claiming was not only innocent but Harry's godfather.

And she had just walked into him, sending both of their books tumbling to the ground. "Aargh!" she exclaimed, as they both bent down to pick up their respective books," I'm so, so sorry. I shouldv'e been watching where I was going. I am so terribly sorry. I always do this-" Jean broke off, turning red as she realized she had been babbling and Harry was looking bemusedly at her. "It's quite alright, " he said, smiling not unkindly, "I wasn't looking where I was going either. Are you hurt?"

Turning red for another reason entirely, she shook her head, noticing that his green eyes seemed even more beautiful when his gaze was directed at her and in that moment she didn't blame Ginny Weasley even a bit for sending Harry that singing valentine in their first year.

"Are you fine?" she asked shyly, suddenly appreciating the fact that she was in close contact with her crush. "Yeah, yeah," he replied, as they stood up, already distracted. Suddenly, he redirected his gaze at her. "Hey, you're a fifth year, aren't you? Have you seen Ginny Weasley? She had Herbology with Hufflepuffs but I can't seem to find her." Even as Harry finished his question, the girl in question came running into the corridor. "Hi Harry," Ginny panted as she reached them," sorry, Professor Sprout needed to talk to me about something and I just couldn't get away." Jean watched as an affectionate smile broke across Harry's face and he slipped an arm around Ginny's waist.

He seemed to forget that Jean was even there and for an irrational moment, Jean was more jealous than she had ever been in her life and found herself wishing that she was standing there in place of Ginny. But only for a moment. Just then, Ginny seemed to realize that Jean was standing their with them. "Oh hey Jean, sorry I interrupted your conversation, was it something important?" She looked at Harry in askance, who shook his head. "Nah, we just walked into each other and dropped our books. I was asking Jean if she had seen you, actually," Harry replied, shifting his arm to hold Ginny's hand instead. "Thanks anyway, Jean," he nodded at her, already turning around to walk away.

"Umm, Harry?" Jean said, not knowing what possessed her to stop him. Maybe it was the fact that he said her name, or the fact she knew he could never be her's and she would probably never speak to him again or the fact that he was her first crush or that there was a war coming and anyone who had a brain could see that.

All she knew was that she had to tell him. He turned around to look at her properly, looking slightly curious. Ginny too, had a similar expression on her face but her's was more knowing than anything else.

"I just wanted you to know that I believed you. Last year, I mean. My entirely family did. I just never had the courage to say it. And I'm sorry about Sirius Black. I read that he was your godfather. And I'm sorry you've had to lose so much. "

She smiled at him sadly, as a series of emotions flitted across confusion, heart break at the mention of Sirius Black's name and surprise. She wondered if anyone, other than his friends had ever said that to him. "See you around, Harry," she said, not giving him a chance to reply. She walked away from him, leaving him slightly gob smacked and Ginny smiling.

"That was nice of her," Ginny said, as she and Harry watched Jean leave, "I don't think anyone's ever said that to you before. I thought she had a crush on you, I never suspected she'll actually say something to you, to be perfectly honest."

"Err, what? No, why would you say that?" Harry said, as he finally snapped out of his surprise.

"I've seen her looking at you", Ginny said simply," Oh don't look so horrified. She's nothing like Romilda Vane. Quite sweet actually, if a little shy."

"So you notice who looks at me then?" Harry replied, letting a smirk cross his face. They starting walking away hand in hand, bickering and teasing, already forgetting about Jean.


End file.
